Method for adapting two-post rack systems to support four-post rack mounted equipment

Abstract

Two-post rack systems may be adapted to support four-post rack mounted equipment. In one implementation, the system includes a coupling member for modifying a two-post equipment rack. The coupling member may include a vertical support member with first and second lateral ends and first and second longitudinal ends. A first torsion member may be coupled to the vertical support member at the first longitudinal end, and a second torsion member may be coupled to the vertical support member at the second longitudinal end. A coupling feature on the torsion members may be included to allow coupling to adjacent coupling members. An equipment attachment flange may be coupled to the first lateral end, and may further be adapted to emulate a vertical upright in a four-post rack.

1. A method for converting a two-post equipment rack to support four-post loads, the method comprising:
 coupling independent four-post replicating mounting points on the two-post equipment rack, said four-post replicating mounting points operable to support the four-post loads, wherein said mounting points comprise two or more independent coupling members, and wherein each coupling member is operable to vertically support the four-post loads at a first lateral end and to attach to only one respective post at a second lateral end; 
 attaching equipment configured to couple to four-post equipment racks to a first lateral end of a first coupling member; 
 attaching a second lateral end of the first coupling member to a first post of a two-post equipment rack; 
 attaching the equipment configured to couple to four-post equipment racks to a first lateral end of a second coupling member; and 
 attaching a second lateral end of the second coupling member to a second post of the two-post equipment rack. 
 
   
   
     2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said four-post replicating mounting points comprise four coupling members. 
   
   
     3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said four-post replicating mounting points comprises:
 an equipment attachment flange coupled to the first lateral end, said equipment attachment flange being adapted to emulate a vertical upright in a four-post equipment rack, said equipment attachment flange being further adapted to secure to a load; and 
 a rack attachment flange coupled to the second lateral end of said vertical support member. 
 
   
   
     4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said four-post replicating mounting points comprises:
 a vertical support member having a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end; 
 a first torsion member coupled to the first longitudinal end; and 
 a second torsion member coupled to the second longitudinal end. 
 
   
   
     5. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein each coupling member is operable to vertically support the four-post loads at a first lateral end without supportably engaging the four-post loads along a longitudinal dimension of the coupling member between the first lateral end and the second lateral end. 
   
   
     6. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein attaching equipment to the first lateral end of the first coupling member comprises attaching equipment to the first lateral end of the first coupling member without attaching the equipment to any other part of the first coupling member and without any other part of the first coupling member providing vertical support for the equipment. 
   
   
     7. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein each first lateral end comprises a flange having a plurality of holes. 
   
   
     8. The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the flange is coupled to the first lateral end using a fastener. 
   
   
     9. The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the holes are arranged vertically in sets of three holes. 
   
   
     10. A method for adapting a two-post equipment rack to support four-post loads, the method comprising:
 coupling a first coupling member to a first post at a first end of the first coupling member, the first coupling member further comprising a second end; 
 coupling a second coupling member to a second post at a first end of the second coupling member, the second coupling member comprising a second end, wherein said first coupling member and said second coupling member emulate two of the four posts in a four-post rack with each emulated post defining a vertical supporting point for a load; 
 attaching a load having a first attachment point, a second attachment point, a third attachment point, and a fourth attachment point, wherein the load is adapted to mount to a four-post rack at each of the four attachment points of the load by: 
 attaching the first attachment point of the load to the second end of the first coupling member; 
 attaching the second attachment point of the load to the second end of the second coupling member; 
 attaching the third attachment point of the load to the first post; and 
 attaching the fourth attachment point of the load to the second post, wherein the first post and the second post of the two-post equipment rack emulate the other two posts of the four posts in the four-post rack with each post defining a vertical supporting point for a load. 
 
   
   
     11. The method for adapting a two-post equipment rack to support equipment configured to couple to four-post equipment racks, the method comprising:
 coupling a first coupling member to a first post at a first end of the first coupling member, the first coupling member further comprising a second end; 
 coupling a second coupling member to a second post at a first end of the second coupling member, the second coupling member further comprising a second end; 
 coupling a third coupling member to the first post at a first end of the third coupling member and substantially planar to and substantially parallel to said first coupling member, the third coupling member further comprising a second end; 
 coupling a fourth coupling member to the second post at a first end of the fourth coupling member and substantially planar to and substantially parallel to said third coupling member, the fourth coupling member further comprises a second end; wherein the second end of each of the coupling members emulates one respective post in a four-post rack, with each emulated post defining a supporting point for a load. 
 
   
   
     12. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 attaching a load having a first attachment point, a second attachment point, a third attachment point, and a fourth attachment point, wherein the load is adapted to mount to a four-post rack at each of the four attachment points of the load by:
 attaching the first attachment point of the load to the second end of the first coupling member; and 
 attaching the second attachment point of the load to the second end of the second coupling member; 
 attaching the third attachment point of the load to the second end of the third coupling member; and 
 attaching the fourth attachment point of the load to the fourth coupling member. 
 
 
   
   
     13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein said load comprises a slide assembly. 
   
   
     14. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: securing a fifth coupling member to said first post; and securing a sixth coupling member to said second post. 
   
   
     15. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising: coupling said first coupling member to said fifth coupling member. 
   
   
     16. A method for enabling rack mounting of a device having a four-post rack-mounting configuration to a two-post rack system, the method comprising:
 providing a two-post to four-post adapter on the two-post rack system, the two-post to four-post adapter operable to support the device having a four-post rack-mounting configuration. 
 
   
   
     17. The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the two-post to four-post adapter includes at least two coupling members. 
   
   
     18. The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising: measuring hardware providing for the configuration of the device having the four-post rack-mounting configuration; and specifying dimensions for the two-post to four-post adapter based on said measuring.